Goblin Mutant?
by Eternity sword
Summary: "And what would this be? Some sort of goblin mutant?" That would be my wee lad. Gimli." Basically, Gimli's thoughts on hearing about how an elf had called him a goblin mutant, and his thoughts on how he'd have to travel with said elf.


The dwarves' time in the dungeons of Mirkwood was a topic rarely talked about. Gimli, of course, knew about it. He knew it happened, how long his father, uncle, and the other members of the company had been inside those dungeons, and, of course, their rather _unique_ method of escape. Their interactions with their captors however, had been somewhat off-limits. What dwarf would want to talk about being taken captive by elves?

Bofur, naturally, had been the first one to mention a certain remark made by one of the elves. Gloin, being a proud dwarf as well as a proud father, quickly cursed out said elf, and assured Gimli that he was as handsome as dwarves came. And Gimli assured his father that he already knew that. And Gimli decided that elves, in addition to being unhelpful, and sometimes downright troublesome, also had a terrible sense of what was beauty.

"Maybe they're blind," a younger dwarf said. Nodding at his own childish theory, the young dwarf continued, "Their eyesight's actually bad enough they can't tell us apart from goblins, so that why their ear are so pointy. To make up for their eyesight!"

Still irate, Gimli went along with the dwarf-child's theory. He put it to the back of his mind−he was a good looking dwarf, with a beard that many of his friends admitted to envying. And it wasn't as though he'd ever meet that blasted elf…

Perhaps, he'd been tempting fate there.

It was several decades later when Gimli did, in fact, meet that elf.

In Rivendell, at the council assembled to discuss the One Ring. Gimli had been wary of going to a place full of elves, but several members of the company vouched for these ones. They had, after all, given them a place to rest, food, and helped to decipher the moon runes of the map to the door into Erebor. That was certainly far better treatment that they had received from the elves of Mirkwood. As Gimli and Gloin sat in their circle, however, Gimli heard his father let out a groan, and a quiet curse in Khuzdul. Gimli saw that his father was looking at the elves−one in particular. That one, at least, was from Mirkwood. Perhaps Gloin recognized him from his captivity. He soon learned that this elf was the prince of Mirkwood.

Gimli quickly decided that he disliked this elf in particular.

He was all too happy to begin arguing with the elf over who should take the ring to Mordor, and was just a little bit disappointed when it ended as quickly as it did. He volunteered to help Frodo Baggins take the ring to Mordor…and so did the elf.

Gimli supposed he would have to tolerate him.

Before the fellowship left Rivendell, Gloin pulled his son aside. He spoke, of course, of how proud he was of his son, and warned him to be careful; as dangerous as the way to Erebor was, the way to Mordor would undoubtedly be worse. But then the topic suddenly changed to the elf, Legolas, that would also be part of the fellowship. The older dwarf complained about the elf.

"Why, of all the elves, did it have to be _that_ elf?"

"He is the prince of Mirkwood−did he have something to do with your imprisonment?"

"He led the guard that took us." After this, Gloin let out a grumble that Gimli couldn't quite understand…he thought he heard something about…goblins?

"What was that, father? I couldn't understand what you said. What does the elf have to do with goblins?"

Gloin let out a small indignant noise. "You may recall how the elves stripped us of our possessions? How one of them took my locket of you and your mother and then called you a goblin mutant?" Gimli nodded, not at all liking where this was going. Mahal, he thought, you must be joking? "That elf would be Legolas."

Gimli was absolutely certain of it now: he really didn't like that elf.

Months later, in the thick of a battle, Gimli was glad to have that elf at his back. It had been a surprising friendship, but a friendship nonetheless. A friendship of bicker and banter, and rivalry, with some amount of insults thrown in…but insults meant in jest, never in malice. And as they called out their numbers of enemies killed, Gimli was certain of something unexpected.

That elf, which he'd been so sure he disliked, who had imprisoned his father, and had called Gimli himself a goblin mutant, was one of his best friends.

**May post a sequel in which Gimli and Legolas talk about the incident. Let me know if you want me to.**


End file.
